Department store group John Lewis saw double digit sales increases at most of its stores last week as shoppers splashed out before the Easter break, figures released today reveal.
Overall trading grew 27 per cent year-on-year in the seven days to April 7th 2012, and while these results were boosted due to the changing calendar date for Easter this year, when compared to the week of Good Friday in 2011 sales were still up 25 per cent.
A downturn in temperatures helped coax consumers into its stores, but it was a massive surge in sales within the retailer‘s Electricals & Home Technology (EHT) division and yet more impressive trading online which proved the main catalysts for this success.
“Trade last week was superb,” said David Barford, Director of Selling Operations for Region B at John Lewis.
“There were strong double-digit uplifts from all three buying directorates.
“EHT led the pack, up 59 per cent, with the performance driven by two particular areas: IT grew by 133 per cent as appetite for the new iPad3 continued, while Vision was 83 per cent up as shoppers in London and the south of England prepared for the Digital Switchover.”
Fashion sales were also impressive over the week, up 17.6 per cent on the same period last year, with sales in childrenswear boosted by back-to-school promotions, and online sales jumped 39 per cent with all directorates performing well.
John Lewis in Leicester recorded the largest sales increase of the week with sales up 42 per cent annually, followed by Bluewater in Kent which saw its sales rise 37 per cent, and Trafford which recorded a 33 per cent increase.
Waitrose, the upmarket grocer & sister retailer to John Lewis, saw sales rise 23 per cent in the week though most of this growth was due to Easter falling on a different week this year, as trading compared to the Easter Friday week last year was up only 4.5 per cent.
In total the John Lewis Partnership, which includes John Lewis & Waitrose, recorded sales of £192.35 million over the seven days, an increase of 26.7 per cent year-on-year.
